Pressure vacuum turbine



1966 c. w. GALUSKA 3,236,050

PRESSURE VACUUM TURBINE Filed Nov. 4, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

F) .4 Fig.3 9

Char/es W. Ga/uska IN VEN TOR M40162. BY m, 29

Feb. 22, 1966 c. w. GALUSKA 3,236,050

PRESSURE VACUUM TURBINE Filed Nov. 4, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 5 0 H H I: I 'I 42 a I w Charles W. Ga/uska #0 I INVENTOR.

Feb. 22, 1966 c. w. GALUSKA PRESSURE VACUUM TURBINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 7 Filed Nov. 4, 1964 Fig. 8

IN VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,236,050 PRESSURE VACUUM TURBINE Charles W. Galuska, San Jose, Calif., assignor of fifty percent to Lois Edwards, San Jose, Calif. Filed Nov. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 408,958 9 Claims. (CI. 60-60) This invention comprises a novel and useful pressure vacuum turbine and more particularly pertains to a turbine power plant having increased efiiciency and adaptable for operation in a variety of manners.

The present invention relates generally to the invention disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,955,428 of Oct. 11, 1960 but involves important improvements thereover.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a power plant of the turbine type which shall employ a centrifugal impeller to assist in forcibly evacuating exhaust fluids from the turbine exhaust means and thereby improve the efficiency of the turbine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a turbine and exhaust pump combination in which the exhaust pump shall have an improved and highly efficient association with the exhaust passage of the turbine for the rem-oval of exhaust products therefrom and shall have an improved drive means enabling the exhaust impeller to be operated at different speeds from that of the turbine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a power plant in accordance with the preceding objects in which a turbine exhaust pump may be selectively driven from the turbine power shaft or from an independent source as may be desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a power plant installation conforming to the above mentioned objects in which the turbine and its exhaust pump are enclosed in a fluid-tight housing exposed to an atmosphere either above or below atmospheric pressure as desired and wherein this atmosphere may be regulated both as to temperature and pressure.

Yet another object of the invention in accordance with the immediately preceding object is to provide a device wherein an air pump for maintaining a pressure within the housing either above or below atmospheric pressure, is mounted outside the housing and is selectively driven from either the turbine power shaft or a separate source of power to supply air under controlled temperature and pressure to the interior of the housing and also to the air intake means of the turbine.

Yet .another purpose of the invention is to provide a power plant installation as set forth in the preceding objects in which a heat exchanger is placed in the passage by which air from a compressor is delivered to the interior of the turbine housing for the purpose of regulating the temperature of the introduced air.

'I'hese together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numeral-s refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a View in top plan of the turbine power plant in accordance with this invention and showing a preferred embodiment thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 taken from the left end thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section of a heat exchanger unit employed with the invention;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of the apparatus, taken in vertical longitudinal section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of FIGURE 1 and with the parts exterior to the turbine housing being shown in elevation;

FIGURE 6 is a view in vertical transverse section through the centrifugal exhaust impeller of the apparatus, being taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the broken section line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view in vertical transverse section through the turbine and its exhaust passage, taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the broken section line 77 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a view in horizontal section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 8-8 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 9 is a detail view, with parts broken away, being taken substantially in vertical longitudinal section substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 99 of FIGURE 8.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally the power plant in accordance with this invention. As will be observed particularly from FIG- URE 5, the power plant includes a suitable supporting base 12 upon which is mounted an enclosing housing 14 together with a stand 16 external to the housing and carrying thereon a source of motive power 18, an electric generator 20, an air compressor 22 and suitable associated equipment as set forth hereinafter.

As will be best observed from a comparison of FIG- URES 2, 3, 5-7, it will be noted that the housing 14 includes a main and lower portion 30 which is directly mounted upon and secured to the base 12 together with a removable top portion 32, cooperating laterally projecting flanges 34 and 36 being provided at the registering adjacent edges of the lower and upper portions 30 and 32 which with suitable gasket means as at 38 interposed therebetween are detachably clamped together in any suitable manner as by fastening bolts to establish a fluid-tight seal between the two housing sections and thus seal the interior of the housing from the atmosphere. It will further be noted that the interior of the housing is completely lined by a heat insulating lining 40 of any suitable character, whose exact composition in itself forms no part of the present invention.

Received within the housing is a support stand or structure 42 upon which is secured a fluid operated turbine 44 which may be of any desired type, being illustrated as having a horizontally extending power shaft 46 disposed axially thereof together with turbine blades 48 radiating therefrom. The casing of the turbine 44 has a motive fluid inlet means in the form of a duct-50 extending tangentially from the turbine casing and having an air filter 52 in its inlet opening. The turbine also has a duct 54 extending therefrom and which comprises an exhaust passage or a portion of the exhaust means by which the motive fluid is discharged from the turbine.

Referring now to FIGURES 5 and 9 in particular, it will be noted that the turbine further includes at the upper end of the passage means 54 a generally cylindrical laterally extending exhaust casing 56 whose opposite ends are open and project beyond each end of the turbine, with the casing 56 communicating at its mid-portion with the exhaust passage 54 so that the motive fluid exhausted by the turbine, as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 9 will be divided and discharged to each of the outlet ends of the exhaust casing 56.

Mounted upon the turbine is a centrifugal exhaust impeller means comprising a pair of exhaust impeller units each indicated generally by the numeral 60 and which are rotatably mounted upon the opposite ends of the exhaust casing 56.

Reference is made now to FIGURE 9 for an understanding of the structure of each of the exhaust impeller units 60, these units being identical. Each unit consists of a hollow body comprising a hub 62 having a diametrically reduced cylindrical flange 64 which is journaled through the agency of bearing assemblies 66 upon the outer ends of the exhaust casing 56. Fixedly secured to the hub 62 and disposed axially thereof are shafts 68 which extend through suitable bearing means 70 within the ends of the exhaust casing 56 to thereby rotatably journal the hubs within the exhaust casing. At their inward extremities each shaft 68 has fixedly secured thereto a driven gear 72 which thus lies within the exhaust casing 56, suitable transversely extending apertures or passages 74 through the hub portion of the gear 72 permitting free flow of exhaust fluid through the exhaust casing 56 and past the driven gear into the hub 62 of the exhaust impeller unit 60.

Projecting radially from the hub 62 are a plurality of hollow arms 76 whose outer ends terminate in discharge orifices or nozzles 78.

With continuing reference to FIGURE 9 it will be observed that each of the opposite ends of the exhaust casing 56 is provided with a laterally enlarged portion formed by the two perpendicularly flanged sections 80 and 82 which are detachably secured together as by fastening bolts 84. The sections 80 and 82 thus define a laterally enlarged chamber and comprise a casing 86 in the lower portion to enclose the driving gear 88 which through the driving chain 90 imparts rotation to the shaft 68. It will be observed that this construction is duplicated at both ends of the exhaust casing and turbine as shown in FIGURES and 8.

The driving gear 88 is fixedly secured to a shaft section 92. The latter may either comprise an integral extension of the turbine power shaft 46 or may be detachably secured thereto. In any event, it operates to transmit power from the turbine to the centrifugal exhaust impellers 60 and due to the gearing ratio shown in FIGURE 6 will thus drive the exhaust impellers at a different speed from that of the turbine power shaft. Thus, the exhausting or propelling effect of the centrifugal exhaust unit 60 is by an appropriate change in the gear ratio of the drive means either independent of or some function of the speed of operation of the turbine.

Referring now to FIGURES l-S, it will be seen that the top wall of the housing 14 is provided with a safety valve 94 of any conventional design for the purpose of relieving excessive pressure or vacuum within the interior of the housing resulting from the operation of the pump 22.

Access is had to the interior of the housing for the purpose of inspection, servicing or, repairs as may be necessary through the provision of a fluid-tight access door 96, see FIGURE 2.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 5 it will be noted that the power shaft 98 of the power source 18 and the shaft 100 of the generator 20 are coupled to each other and to the shaft section 92 by means of suitable couplings 102 and 104. These couplings may be of any desired character whether mechanical, elecrtical or hydraulic and enable the power source to be selectively coupled to or disconnected from the generator and the latter to be selectively coupled to or disconnected from the shaft section 92. Inasmuch as the details and controls of these couplings form no part of the invention set forth and claimed hereinafter, a further description thereof is deemed to be unnecessary.

The compressor 22 shown mounted upon the generator 20 is likewise coupled to the source of power in any suitable manner, not shown. Thus, with the couplings properly engaged the turbine itself may constitute the driving means for the generator and for the pump 22 with the power source 18 being idle or supplementing the action of the turbine power shaft. Alternatively, the

power source 18 may constitute the sole means for driving the generator and/or the compressor pump 22 as when the coupling 104 is disengaged.

The power source 18 may constitute an electric motor or an internal combustion engine or fluid motor of any desired character, which in itself forms no part of the present invention.

In a preferred arrangement, the pump or compressor 22 serves to supply the motive fluid such as compressed air by means of a duct system including a conduit 106 to the interior of the housing to thus produce the desired pressurized atmosphere therein. A discharge or outlet conduit 108 controlled by a suitable valve, not shown, serves to discharge the pressurized atmosphere from the interior of the housing so that a desired pressure may be maintained therein. It will of course be appreciated that if the pump 22 is a suction pump, a subatmospheric or partial vacuum may be maintained within the housing rather than a supra atmospheric pressure.

In the preferred arrangement, the filtered intake opening 52 of the turbine is exposed to the atmosphere maintained within the interior of the housing to thus derive its motive fluid therefrom.

The present invention also envisions and contemplates a regulated control of the temperature of the atmosphere within the housing. For this purpose, any conventional type of heat exchanger unit 110 is mounted upon the exterior of the housing and as shown in FIGURE 4 discharges through a conduit 112 under the control of a valve 114 the adjustably heated air into the interior of the housing. This air is supplied as by the duct 106 previously mentioned by any suitable connection therebetween so that the duct 106 may supply air independently both to the interior of the housing and also to the turbine intake. The heat exchanger may be supplied with cooling water, a heating fluid or the like from any suitable source as by the conduit 116 as diagrammatically indicated in FIGURE 4.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

The power plant may be placed in operation by energizing the power source 18 and through the engaged couplings 102 and 104 operate compressor 22, the turbine 44 and the turbine exhaust units 60. As the motive fluid is thus supplied to the interior of the housing 14 through the conduit 106 and to the intake means 50 of the turbine, the latter will be placed in operation. When the turbine is running satisfactorily, the coupling 104 may be disengaged so that useful power may be derived from the turbine power shaft while the power source 18 serves solely as a means to propel the compressor 22 which supplies the motive fluid to the turbine. Through proper regulation of the valved outlet 108 the atmosphere within the housing may be maintained at a desired pressure, while proper regulation of the heat exchanger also maintains a proper temperature for the atmosphere. The operation of the drive means 72, 88 for the exhaust impellers 60 is effected either by power supplied from the turbine power shaft 92 with the clutch 104 disengaged or solely by power supplied from the power plant 18. This enables the vacuum exhaust unit 60 to be operated at any effective speed different from the speed of the turbine.

The operation of the vacuum unit 60 will effect a reduction in the pressure within the exhaust system of the turbine thereby greatly increasing its efliciency of operation.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readiy occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A power plant comprising a fluid pressure operated turbine including a power shaft and operating fluid intake and fluid exhaust means, a centrifugal exhaust impeller connected to said turbine fluid exhaust means and effecting a forced flow of fluid therethrough, driving means connected to said impeller and causing rotation thereof at a speed diflerent from that of said turbine power shaft, means supplying motive fluid to said turbine intake means, said centrifugal impeller including an exhaust casing mounted upon said turbine and having ends opening at opposite ends of said turbine, said turbine exhaust means communicating with said exhaust casing intermediate said opposite ends, hollow impeller hubs each rotatably mounted upon and communicating with one of said opposite ends, hollow arms mounted on and radiating outwardly from each hub, a discharge nozzle on the outer end of each arm whereby upon rotation of said hub a suction will be applied by said nozzles to said turbine exhaust means, each hub having an axial shaft fixed thereto, means journaling each shaft within said exhaust casing, said driving means including a driven gear fixed to said shaft and disposed within said exhaust casing.

2. A power plant comprising a fluid pressure operated turbine including a power shaft and operating fluid intake and fluid exhaust means, a centrifugal exhaust impeller connected to said turbine fluid exhaust means and effecting a forced flow of fluid therethrough, driving means connected to said impeller and causing rotation thereof at a speed different from that of said turbine power shaft, means supplying motive fluid to said turbine intake means, a housing enclosing and sealing from the atmosphere said turbine and exhaust impeller, means for maintaining a gaseous medium in said housing at a predetermined pressure.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said motive fluid supply means is external to said housing and includes a motive fluid pump, a duct connecting said pump to the interior of said housing.

4. The combination of claim 3 including a heat exchanger interposed in said duct and regulating the temperature of the fluid discharged by said duct.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said turbine air intake means is in communication with said duct.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said power shaft extends through and has a fluid tight seal in the wall of said housing, a source of power external to said housing and connected to said power shaft.

7. The combination of claim 6 including an .air compressor disposed exterior to said housing and comprising said motive fluid supplying means, means drivingly connecting said compressor to said power source, duct means connecting said compressor to said turbine intake means.

8. A power plant comprising, a turbine having an intake and an exhaust, centrifugal means operatively connected to the exhaust for inducing flow of fluid through the turbine, drive means drivingly connecting the centrifugal means to the turbine for rotation thereof at a speed which is a predetermined function of turbine output, and external means for imparting rotation to the centrifugal means independently of the turbine.

9. The combination of claim 8 including chamber means for supplying fluid to the intake of the turbine at a regulated pressure, said centrifugal means including nozzle means discharging fluid from said exhaust to said chamber means at the regulated pressure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,402,499 6/ 1946 Lawrence -60 2,485,543 10/1949 Andreau 6060 2,767,549 10/1956 Martin 60-59 2,955,428 10/ 1960 Galuska 60-60 EDGAR W. GEOGHEGAN, Primary Examiner, 

8. A POWER PLANT COMPRISING, A TURBINE HAVING AN INTAKE AND AN EXHAUST, CENTRIFUGAL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE EXHAUST FOR INDUCING FLOW OF FLUID THROUGH THE TURBINE, DRIVE MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTING THE CENTRIFUGAL MEANS TO THE TURBINE FOR ROTATION THEREOF AT A SPEED WHICH IS A PREDETERMINED FUNCTION OF TURBINE OUTPUT, AND EXTERNAL MEANS FOR IMPARTING ROTATION TO THE CENTRIFUGAL MEANS INDEPENDENTLY OF THE TURBINE. 